The present disclosure relates to a developing device and to an image forming apparatus incorporating the developing device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a developing device including first and second stirring/transporting members which stir and transport developer inside a developer container and a developer feeding member which feeds the developer to the first stirring/transporting member, and to an image forming apparatus incorporating such a developing device.
In an image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier which comprises a photosensitive member or the like is made visible by being developed into a toner image by a developing device. The developing device stores developer containing toner inside a developer container, and is provided with a developer roller, which feeds the developer to the image carrier, and a stirring/transporting member, which transports, while stirring, the developer inside the developer container to feed it to the developer roller.
In the developing device, toner is consumed through developing operation. For compensatory supply of consumed toner, a conventionally proposed developing device is provided with, in a developer container, a developer feeding member for feeding developer to a stirring/transporting member.
Such a developing device includes, for example, first and second stirring/transporting members which stir and transport developer, a developer feeding member which feeds the developer to the first stirring/transporting member, and a developer container that accommodates the first and second stirring/transporting members and the developer feeding member. In the developer container, a feeding port through which developer is fed from the developer feeding member to the first stirring/transporting member is formed. As the developer feeding member rotates, through the feeding port, the developer is fed from the developer feeding member to the first stirring/transporting member.